Showing posts with label house plants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label house plants. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 8, 2023

Air Plant As A House Plant Reviewed

 

Air Plant


Air plants are really fascinating and beautiful houseplants. We love having ours, it is such a pretty and unusual little plant. We bought one air plant and were delighted when it grew a baby airplant or delightfully named  "pup". Now as you can see in the photos, the "pup" is nearly as big as its parent !  

Their ability to survive and thrive with little or no soil is amazing and really beautiful, unusual varieties are now easily available. 

They truly adapted beautifully to their natural environment and with a few care needs we can enjoy them close up as house plants. They originate mainly from Mexico and South America. They do not root in the soil like most plants but instead use their wiry roots to attach themselves to tree branches or rocks or even man made structures like telephone wires. In their natural environment air provides them with all they require. 

Their official name as a group is Tillandsia but most of us will know them as Air plants which so aptly describes them. 

There are over 600 different species of air plants, each exhibiting its own distinctive shape, size, and color. Some common varieties include Tillandsia ionantha, Tillandsia cyanea, and Tillandsia xerographica. All are really fascinating. 

 

Air Plant
Air Plant

 Care Of Air Plants

Air plants, live with no soil to sustain them and obtain all their nutrients and moisture from the air around them. 

I find them quite easy care plants but there are a few vital needs that must be met to ensure the plants stay healthy. 

 

1. Light

Air plants need bright but indirect light. So near a windowsill or in a well lit room would be a good place. These are not plants for shady dark rooms. 

We need to avoid placing them in direct sunlight. This will burn or scorch the leaves so make sure that any light is diffused by the gentle light shade of other plants or a window covering. 


2. Soil And Humidity

There are no soil requirements for Airplants.

All the water and nutrients are absorbed via special scales called trichomes which cover their leaves.

In their original natural habitat it would have been humid so it is important that we give them a mainly humid environment. 

Misting them with water every few days or placing them in a tray filled with water and pebbles will increase localised humidity for them and they will appreciate it. They cannot tolerate soaking for days at a time though. 

Just misting will not be enough though, they must also be watered.  


3. Watering Air Plants

Watering is necessary but it must be done with extreme caution to prevent root rot.  

 It is best to submerge the plants in water upside down for  thirty minutes every one to two weeks. I try to do it every week but if I forget the air plant does not seem to mind too much. I would not leave it any longer than 2 weeks though or the plants may start to suffer. In very warm weather you can water them in this way more often.  

 I simply turn mine upside down so that the water will not collect in the crown of the plant and submerge in a glass of warm water for about half an hour. I do find room temperature water is best, as I feel that ice cold water might be a bit of a shock. Also it is preferable to use rainwater rather than tap water due to the chemicals in tap water. 

It's important to shake off any excess water to prevent moisture from pooling in their base. Once dry I gently place back in its holder. They should be allowed to dry completely before being placed back in their display area or container. 


Air Plant Submerged In Glass of Water
Air Plant Submerged In Glass Of Water Upside Down


 

4. Air Circulation

The main risk to air plants is rot. Air plants benefit from proper air circulation which prevents stagnant moisture  from accumulating on their leaves, reducing the risk of rot. 

To enable this process we must position them in places that are well-ventilated.

Alternatively you can use a small fan to create an artificial air current but it should be possible in most situations to give good natural ventilation.

In the summer it is fine to place the air plants outside on a warm day, especially if it is a humid day. I do always being them in at night. 


5. Feeding Air Plants 

Air plants in our homes appreciate a balanced, diluted fertilizer every few weeks. I find once a month is fine and enables me to remember to do it on the first of each month. 

We need to buy a specialised fertiliser specifically for air plants to provide them with the necessary food to thrive.

 


How To Display Air Plants. 

Due to their versatile nature, air plants can be displayed in various creative ways. You can get quite artistic with them to suit the style and decor of your own home or workplace.


          

They can be grown in plant frames, glass terrariums, mounted on driftwood or stones, grown on ornamental shells or placed in hanging plant holders. I currently have mine in a glass holder filled with white perlite.

 As I get more I would like to have them displayed in hanging baskets and placed on driftwood as I think that is healthy for the plants and they look very beautiful and quite stunning that way. 

Air plants  are very low maintenance plants once we understand their needs and how to meet them. I feel with a little guidance they are suitable for a beginner with house plants or any garden plants. 

Their stunning appearance and unusual habit also makes them a lovely choice for house plant collectors or anyone who likes a more unusual house plant display.

As it is easy to buy small specimens it means that you can have quite a lot in one room and they do not take up much space. In fact I think they add to the decor and ambiance of a room. 

 

        

 More House Plant Reviews

 Reviewing How To Take Care Of Your House Plants On Vacation

Swiss Cheese Plant Or Monstera Reviewed As A House Plant And Fashion Trend




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Tuesday, January 24, 2023

Do House Plants Make Good Gifts Reviewed

 

House plants

I love to give Houseplants as gifts. I find they are a personal and living gift that shows you have given some thought to the person you are giving them to. 

There are many occasions that are suitable for giving a houseplant. They are perfect for a housewarming gift, Birthdays, anniversaries and to mark special occasions and are very memorable.

They also last a lot longer than cut flowers, lovely as they are if you wish to give them as a Thankyou or get well gift. 

Houseplants do so much to clean and purify the air and beautify our homes. Whether it is a fern-like plant, a flowering plant, a cactus type, one with an interesting or unusual habit or form or a beautiful leaf shape, it will be a gorgeous gift for any style of home.

You do not need to know the person's decor and the houseplant will be suitable however they change the decor over the years. House plants are very popular, even trendy now, so for people of all ages, your thoughtful gift will be well received. 


Pink flower cactus



What To Bear In Mind When Giving A Houseplant As A Gift.

There are just a few things to bear in mind when giving an indoor plant as a gift.

  • They are living plants and do need to be treated with care. 
  • If you know the person is good with indoor plants but it's a new plant to them please include a short note to let them know how to look after it along with its common and Latin name. That way if they want to learn more they can. 
  • If it's a person who knows little about houseplants then a brief sheet of care instructions will be helpful.
  • When giving a houseplant it is also always useful to provide a pot to put the houseplant in and if they are very new to indoor gardening a small watering can and a bottle of houseplant feed is always appreciated to get them started. 
  • You do need to be aware if the person you are giving the gift to has young children or pets as you need to be careful the houseplant you choose is not toxic to them. 
  • If you know the person has allergies it is best to avoid flowering plants or those with strongly scented flowers, to be on the safe side.  
  • Avoid very spiky plants where there are young children or pets to avoid any accidents. 


Polka dot houseplant

Things To Bear In Mind For the Plants 

  • If you know the house the person is living in try to buy a plant that will suit the conditions.
  • So if it is a shady basement flat choose a shade loving plant rather than one that needs sunlight. 
  • If their main room faces south and gets sunshine all day long avoid ferns and other shade loving plants.  
  • Purchase a plant for them that will not outgrow the available space. A big plant can look amazing in a small room but not if in a couple of years they will be struggling to get through the door because of it or the plant is squashed in a corner.
  • I do tend to avoid buying houseplants as gifts in the depths of winter just due to the transportation of them from shop to car or delivery to my home and then onto the person I am giving the gift to when it is freezing cold is not really great for the health of a plant that likes to be warm. 
  • My other caveat is that if you know the person is short on time and has a hectic life or that they will not be able to devote much energy to looking after a plant choose a very easy care one like a spider plant or mother in laws tongue or an easy care cactus type.   

 

Dracena houseplant


 Examples of Easy Care House Plants

Always give a learner an easy-care houseplant, even one that can take some inconsistencies, neglect, or be easily revived. 

Likewise, if you are gifting to a busy family or someone with a hectic lifestyle or who travels away a lot easy care forgiving houseplants are best.  


The Asparagus Fern As A Houseplant Reviewed

Swiss Cheese Plant Or Monstera Reviewed As A House Plant And Fashion Trend

Reviewing Growing And Care Of Dracaena As A Houseplant

Caring For Mother In Laws Tongue As A Houseplant Reviewed

The Spider Plant As A Houseplant Reviewed 

  

Swiss Cheese Plant

 

 Examples Of More Advanced Care House Plants  

These beautiful and amazing plants look great but do need a little more knowledge and care.

They do however make beautiful gifts for anyone who would be willing to learn or who loves houseplants already. 

As a child, I remember being given a living stone plant that I knew nothing about and was completely fascinated by and I learned to care for it. 


Stone Flower plant
 

Care Of The Intriguing Carnivorous Venus Fly Trap House Plant Reviewed

Reviewing Caring For The Stunning Polka Dot Begonia House Plant

Reviewing The Care Of Living Stone Flowers or Lithops As Houseplants

Reviewing the Care Of Beautiful Anthurium Or Flamingo Flower House Plants 

 

Flamingo flower

 
 

 Useful Care Of House Plant Reviews

Here are a few articles that are useful to anyone looking after houseplants.   

Reviewing How To Take Care Of Your House Plants On Vacation

All House Plant Reviews On Review This Reviews

 

Spider plant

I have house plants that were given to me many years ago and they are so treasured and always remind me of the person who gave them to me. 

I think given the caveats above that houseplants can be a beautiful, thoughtful gift for many special occasions and there is a gorgeous houseplant for most people and situations. 




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Tuesday, July 26, 2022

The Asparagus Fern As A Houseplant Reviewed.

Asparagus Fern

 

We have an asparagus fern that was my Mums and it must be over 30 years old now. I love its gorgeous ferny delicate leaves which arch very gracefully. It has a versatile habit where it can be trained up supports or hung down from a high level to cascade. I also like that despite not always being pampered, it survives and thrives. 

It can grow to be a large houseplant but can also be pruned easily to keep it a smaller size if required. Personally, I like to see it grow to its full potential and to be a really lovely graceful delicate looking yet strong plant. 

We do however need some knowledge of its needs and care to keep it happy.


What Is The Asparagus Fern?

Ours is the large ferny arching Asparagus densiflorus ‘Sprengeri Group’with long thorny stems carrying delicate feathery leaves on long flexible stems. Often known as asparagus fern or lace fern. The other ones are the upright fox tail type fern or the sickle fern.  

Well despite its name it is not an asparagus though it shares the look of asparagus. You certainly cannot eat it as it is mildly toxic to humans and animals when ingested.

Also, it is not part of the fern family despite looking like a fern. It is in fact part of the Lily family and originates in South Africa in the dense tropical forests found there. 


Asparagus Fern
Asparagus fern growing on supports


How To Care For An Asparagus Fern

As with all houseplants, it is important to know the conditions where they grow in the wild. As this plant comes from a warm humid semi-shaded environment we need to try to replicate that as far as we can in our own homes.

So it is best to keep this plant somewhere out of direct sunlight as the sun will burn the leaves. It needs some light through or the leaves will turn yellow. Semi shade is best. 

It must be watered regularly in the spring and summer just to keep it moist. Be careful not to waterlog it as that will rot the plant and may be the one thing this plant will not survive. 

I also find it likes a misting every so often in the warmer weather to simulate the tropical forest environment. I use a specific plant mister to do this with lukewarm water. I also keep ours in a pot inside another larger pot part filled with pebbles and keep the pebbles wet to increase the humidity. 

These houseplants do not like being in a draught or close to a radiator as it is too drying for them. 

If the leaves go yellow at the base this is quite normal and you can just snip them off. However, if leaves that are higher up go pale or yellow it is most likely a lack of water. 

These houseplants can grow large, though due to their habit do not seem to dominate a room. They can however easily be cut back with Secateurs or maybe a strong pair of scissors. I have cut ours back several times and it comes to no harm. 


Asparagus Fern Leaf
Delicate soft ferny leaves on Asparagus fern house plant


I only repot when it seems to be getting potbound so perhaps once every three to four years in a good quality houseplant or general purpose compost.

Do wear a thick long sleeved top and sturdy gloves when handling this plant as the thorns are sharp and hard to avoid when repotting. I also tend to loosely tie up the plant with a soft twine when repotting to prevent stray tendrils from touching me.  

The leaves may go brown if touched too much so best to avoid the chances of doing that. 

If you make mistakes though in my experience it does bounce back which is a good thing in a houseplant. We are going through a heatwave with temperatures of around 40 degrees Celsius and no air conditioning and no matter what we cannot keep the house at optimal conditions for this plant and it is developing pale leaves as you can see from the photographs. However, with a little care and attention when the heatwave dissipates it will recover.  


Asparagus Fern leaves
Green healthy leaves and pale dry leaves on Asparagus fern

Asparagus Fern Pests and Diseases

It is generally a pretty healthy resilient plant as long as it has the right conditions and care. 

Spider mite is the only bug that really affects this houseplant and it is usually when it is too dry. You will see like a white spider's web over the plant. It is best to use a spider mite-specific insecticide in this case. 

If you have waterlogged the plant with overwatering then it may rot from the roots and this is hard to come back from. You can only try repotting in a good quality compost and hope the plant will survive. 

Pale coloured leaves usually mean it is too hot or too dry or both. In the recent heatwave when the house was hot, even in usually cool rooms no matter what we did,  ours has developed a few pale leaves and I am attempting to help by watering and misting. 

If the leaves go brown really all we can do is snip them off. The plant will generally survive as long as not all leaves are brown but may take a while to thrive. However, it is a sign you need to step up the watering and misting. 

 

Where To Display Asparagus Fern

This houseplant can grow very large up to about 1 meter or just over 3 feet tall and wide. It is a beautiful and showy plant but needs placing with care

I have found over the years living with this plant that it likes it best when either placed so that it can hang down from the top of a high cupboard or shelf or as we have it now so that it can climb upwards on supports. It has very long whippy stems carrying both sharp thorns and graceful delicate ferny leaves. These can easily be trained onto a support or allowed to hang down. 

Left without these options it tends to flop and sprawl all over the ground which is not so pretty or practical in a house. 


Stems of Asparagus Fern
Long flexible stems on Asparagus Fern


It does not like direct sun either, bearing in mind it lives in a forest in the wild we need to offer it semi-shade and as high humidity as possible. 

Another point to bear in mind is that although the leaves are so soft and beautiful it also has extremely sharp thorns that from first-hand experience can really hurt! So it is best for everyone especially children and pets if we keep it so that you cannot easily touch it. 

The other rather strange reason for not touching this plant is that if you handle it too much the leaves can easily go brown.

It is often suggested to place it in a bathroom which would be ideal regarding indirect sunlight and humidity but we do need to be careful of the fact it is mildly toxic and thorns in an environment where we are showering or bathing! So if it is in a bathroom make sure no one can touch it. 

In my parent's house, it lived happily in our dining room on a large support on a stool behind a cabinet. There as a child I could not reach it but we could all admire it and it makes quite a statement.  

 We also have it in the corner of our dining room behind a furniture piece where it gets light but not direct sun, where we can enjoy it safely.

 You can display this plant as a standalone or it looks great in a group of plants with contrasting leaves and colours. 

It is unlikely to flower in most homes so you need to enjoy it for its leaf colour and form primarily. 


Asparagus Fern leaves
Beautiful ferny leaves
 

 Asparagus fern makes for a very beautiful large houseplant that with some knowledge can be kept happy as a long-lived plant in most homes. We love ours and will keep it as long as possible. While probably not a beginner plant, with just a little knowledge it is easy to be successful with this gorgeous houseplant.

 

 More House Plant Reviews

 Reviewing How To Take Care Of Your House Plants On Vacation

Swiss Cheese Plant Or Monstera Reviewed As A House Plant And Fashion Trend




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Tuesday, December 28, 2021

Reviewing Caring For The Stunning Polka Dot Begonia House Plant

  

Polka Dot Begonia House Plant

I recently rescued two Polka Dot Begonias from a garden center. I wasn't intending to buy any plants but walking past the house plant sale stand I spotted it and took a double-take at this beauty!

Even though they were looking a bit poorly and unloved and were in a dark corner of the store and I knew there was a risk of losing them both I just could not resist taking both home.

I picked up one then just had to go back for the other one. They were much reduced in price and I was worried the other one would die if I did not take it. 

Of course, I would have to give the wise advice to buy only well cared for healthy houseplants for a good chance of success and a long-lived indoor plant. However, I just cannot resist the challenge of bringing an uncared or unloved plant back to good health.

Sometimes I lose them but often it works so for me is worth the risk. 


Polka Dot Begonia


What is The Polka Dot Begonia 

The polka dot begonia otherwise known as Begonia Maculata is a very striking unmissable indoor plant.

It has beautiful distinctive leaves almost in a wing shape, with very elongated graceful leaves.

The leaves are a very dark rich green and the top of the leaves are exquisitely dotted with brighter green and almost silvery spots or dots. Hence the name "Polka Dot " 

Underneath the leaves are a beautiful reddish colour. When young the leaves are a lighter fresh green and develop into a darker colour as they age. 

Other popular names for the Polka Dot Begonia plant are Angel Wing Begonia and I can see this due to the shape and the way it holds its gorgeous leaves like an angel would. Other common names are Spotted Begonia clearly due to the spots on all its leaves.

I have more trouble understanding the name Trout Begonia but then I do not know so much about fish. Perhaps it's thought by some to have the markings of a Trout? 

Also known as Clown begonia though I am not sure why it got this common name as personally I do not see anything clown-like about it, this plant is far too exotic and beautiful!  

For the purposes of this article, we will call it the Polka Dot Begonia plant.  

In Spring and Summer, it can bear little pink and white flowers, but I love this plant mainly for its striking and unusual leaves. 

Flowers grow on a single stem and you are more likely to get them if the plant is totally happy in its environment.

Perhaps conversely if we want flowers we should allow the plant to become slightly potbound as this does encourage flowering. I would certainly not be disappointed if there were no flowers, to me they are a bonus, not a necessity. 


Polka Dot Begonia dotted leaf


Where to Place A Polka Dot Begonia

As with all houseplants, the best way to ensure a happy healthy plant and a chance of flowers is to place your plant in the right spot in the home and for that, we need to know the conditions of its native country.

It originates in Brazil and as you will know if you have read my other houseplant reviews once we take these plants into our homes we are totally responsible for replicating conditions as close as possible to their native environment. 

This plant likes bright light but it needs to be indirect light so is best near a window but not on a sunny windowsill.

Too much sunshine will burn the leaves and cause them to turn brown and there is little that can be done once this has occurred. 

So any sunlight must be filtered light via an obscured window or blinds or by placing the plant far enough away from the window or perhaps behind other plants.  

It can cope with a shady environment or even a little dark if we cannot provide indirect sunlight. However, in that case, we must accept that its leaves may be smaller and shorter than they otherwise would grow and we are unlikely to get any flowers, 

It does like to be at a fairly constant temperature of 18 to 30 degrees centigrade which is good news as most of our homes will be around these temperatures much of the time.  

The Polka dot plant can be very happy in bathrooms and kitchens as it will enjoy the higher humidity in these rooms.

It can also be fine in living areas as long as the humidity is kept high. We keep our two in our living room on large saucers of pebbles. One is in a group with other plants and the other is about a foot away from each of its neighbors. 


Polka Dot Begonia leaf close up


How To Provide Humidity For Houseplants 

Regular misting around the plant is important to maintain high levels of humidity but this I find it difficult to do properly as we should not be getting the leaves directly misted. 

An alternative and easier way of raising humidity is to have a couple of plants grouped together, as a few plants together raises humidity. 

In addition, I place the plant on a large saucer or plant tray of ordinary pebbles and keeping those pebbles moist gives a higher humidity.

Problems to look out for are powdery mildew. This can occur if the leaves get wet, so when watering avoid the leaves becoming wet. 

It is difficult when misting as inevitably in my experience the leaves get damp no matter how far away you mist and I cannot get this right.

I think a better solution for this plant is to set it on a tray of pebbles with water and site it near other plants to give that higher humidity it likes. This will usually do what is necessary.

If you have a lot of plants that need high humidity you can invest in a houseplant humidifier which I understand is worthwhile, but I don't have one of these and so prefer to use the pebble and grouping techniques. 


Polka Dot Begonia

Warnings About the Polka Dot Plant

The polka dot plant is somewhat toxic so best to keep it out of reach of cats and dogs.

As a mildly toxic plant, they may need to chew on it and eat a fair amount to do harm, but I would not be prepared to take that risk and prefer to be cautious and keep it out of the way of any pets. 


Soil Conditions, Feeding and Watering The Polka Dot Plant 

Soil should be light not heavy or clay, but it does need to retain some water. A light houseplant-specific soil is good and adding perlite for extra free-draining abilities makes a good mix to make sure it is well-drained but retentive. The pot needs to have good drainage holes and this houseplant must never sit in standing water. 

The Polka dot plant needs to be fed regularly in its growing season which is Spring and Summer. The feed should be a good quality balanced feed and given about once a month or a little more often if you feel it needs it. 

Overfeeding this plant can also be harmful so better to err on the side of caution. There is no need to feed at all in autumn and winter just resume feeding again in April.

 The other important note to mention is that although it likes a moist soil, It is important not to get the water too soggy as this can easily lead to root rot which tends to be fatal for the plant. 

In the winter it will need less watering maybe about once every two weeks and in the summer once a week watering is usually sufficient. 

If it is very hot then water every four or five days may be needed. 

A good way to tell if it needs more water is simply to put your finger into the soil for a depth of about an inch. If it feels dry to this level then more water is required, if damp or wet there is no need for more water. 



Final Thoughts About The Polka Dot Begonia 

Personally, I would not say this is a beginners houseplant. We cannot get away with not knowing its needs or forgetting to check it.

For example, I was worried when I first got it that the lower leaves started to drop off when I learned that it does not like being moved let alone taken from a warm indoor store outside in the cold to my car then back into a different indoor environment. Essentially it suffered a little shock. However, by being careful not to move it too much since it came home it has recovered with no more leaf drop. 


A Spider plant or Mother-in-Laws Tongue for example is very forgiving of any mistakes and will tend most of the time to bounce back from neglect or mistakes while this plant is more of a challenge.

It is easier to care for in summer than in winter in my experience just because of light and humidity levels naturally occurring.

If you want to buy it as a gift do make sure the recipient is good with houseplants and do write out a simple care plan for them in case they do not know this plant. 

However, it is an exceptionally beautiful, really striking houseplant that is a pleasure to look at and makes a really beautiful plant to have in the home.

In my opinion, it is one of the more stunning houseplants and one of the most gorgeous I own. So it is worth learning about and looking after, as if we do get it right, even with the neglected plants I bought,  there is a good chance the plant will survive and thrive. 


More House Plant Reviews

Care Of The Intriguing Carnivorous Venus Fly Trap House Plant Reviewed.


















Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


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